1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of trash containers. More particularly, the invention relates to tarps for securing the trash-receiving opening in the rear of a trash container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A compactor receiver container (CRC) is a trash container that receives compacted trash. The CRC has an opening in the rear vertical container panel and is otherwise enclosed. Large stores, for example, typically have a trash collection site that includes a trash compactor installed in a trash disposal room and a CRC stationed to receive trash directly from the compactor. The CRC, once filled, is towed away by a tow vehicle to a waste disposasl site for emptying and then returned to the trash collection site.
A frequent nuisance when moving the CRC away from the trash collection site is that trash falls out of the opening onto the ground. The typical CRC removal procedure thus includes multiple steps: the driver of the tow vehicle first moves the CRC away from the wall, then gets out, picks up trash that has fallen onto the ground, and finally manually secures a tarp over the opening. The tarp is secured by elastic cords, rope, or the like. Having to clean up trash from the ground is an avoidable waste of time. Furthermore, it can take considerable time and effort for a single person to secure the tarp over the opening of an overfilled CRC. A further disadvantage of the current practice is that the cords securing the tarp may fray and/or break, with trash then spilling out onto the ground during transit to the waste disposal site.
In an effort to simplify the process of securing the trash opening in the CRC, Brown (U.S. Patent Appl. Pub. 2002/0139493) devised a spring-loaded tarp assembly for covering the trash opening of a CRC, which makes it easier for the operator to secure a tarp over the trash opening. A disadvantage of this tarp assembly is that the tarp must be manually lowered and secured by the operator. Another disadvantage is that the tarp is pulled from the upper edge of the trash opening downward, to be secured at the lower edge of the CRC. This does not eliminate the problem of trash spilling from the trash opening as the tarp is pulled down. Furthermore, due to the force of gravity, trash in an overfilled CRC will tend to work its way out of the CRC at the bottom of the tarp, even when it is properly secured.
A further nuisance related to the use of the CRC is that once it is transported away from the trash collection site, there is often nowhere to put trash that spilled out of the CRC. When the CRC is picked up for emptying, it is typically not replaced with another one at that time. Rather, the CRC is brought to the waste disposal site and then returned to the trash collection site. If someone does go out and pick up any spillage, there is no CRC or other large container available for stowing the trash until the CRC is returned. As a result, the spillage is quite often left to blow around the parking lot until the empty CRC is returned.
What is needed, therefore, is a tarping system for a CRC that does not require manual intervention by the operator of the trash tow vehicle. What is further needed is such a device that automatically covers the trash opening when the CRC is moved away from a wall. What is yet further needed is such a device that prevents trash from falling from the CRC onto the ground, even when the opening in the CRC is not fully covered.